Merlin's Birthday
by RicardianScholar Clark-Weasley
Summary: sequel to Merlin's Laundry. Arthur, Lancelot and Gwaine fight over who brought Merlin the best birthday present. Gwaine might possibly just made it the worst birthday ever


**Author's Note: sequel to Merlin's Laundry. Keep an eye out for Merlin's Mother to see what happens after this. **

"Happy Birthday Merlin!"

It was the first birthday Merlin had where so many people had shown up. Usually it was just Gwen and Gaius with a quick appearance from Arthur but this year Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan and Leon have dragged Arthur to Gaius' chambers for a little party. All to celebrate Merlin's birthday.

"Here," Arthur said passing a small badly wrapped parcel, "open this first."

"Hey, why should he open yours first? We all brought him presents too!" Gwaine shouted.

"Since I'm royalty Merlin should show me respect by opening the gift I have so kindly purchased for him," Arthur said in his most pompous tone.

Everyone snorted. "Arthur, Merlin is right, you are a prat," Gwen said cheerfully as she effortlessly deflated Arthur's ego. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. "Don't worry I happen to like prats, and it was very kind of you to buy Merlin something," she added in a whisper.

Merlin however remained unimpressed with his friend's present. "A scrubbing brush?" he said disgustedly as he held it up.

"Jesus, Arthur that is a terrible gift!" Lancelot cried out.

"He seems to have trouble cleaning my chamber floors, this will help him," Arthur said calmly.

"So it's just a gift to you then? Since you're the only one benefiting from it?" Gwaine demanded.

"Well I paid for it."

"Arthur!" Gwen said rather scandalised. "You don't buy a gift for someone just so you can benefit from it! You've brought me that lovely bracelet for no reason but my pleasure, why can't you do the same for Merlin?"

"Actually I was benefiting from the thank you, you gave me," Arthur said causing Gwen to blush furiously.

"Ew that is disgusting!" Elyan said, Merlin nodded his agreement as he pulled a face and put his scrubbing brush down on the table.

"My turn, I brought you something far more fun than a scrubbing brush!" Gwaine said excitedly.

"It's not a case of ale is it?" Merlin asked.

"Surprisingly enough – it is!"

Once again everyone snorted. There was nothing surprising about Gwaine giving you alcohol as a present. It was the only thing he could get free since all the Travens loved him so much.

"Don't touch a drop of it," Gaius glared at Merlin, "I don't need to deal with your hangovers on top of all the other troubles this lot are causing."

"To be fair we don't purposely ask monsters and witches to come and take over Camelot," Leon pointed out.

"I wasn't referring to you sire, I was referring to the three young men who think its all good fun to fight over anything."

The three young men grimaced. Obviously Gaius still hadn't forgiven them for intruding his peace a few months ago...

"Anyway, that is a really selfish gift Gwaine! We all know you're just going to end up drinking it, so are you really just in calling me selfish with my gift?" Arthur snapped returning to the topic at hand.

"The pair of you are as terrible as each other," Lancelot said before Gwaine could reply.

"Oh, yeah?" Gwaine said turning to glare at Lancelot. "And what did you get Merlin, may I ask?"

"You can ask but you shall not receive," Lancelot said primly.

Arthur snorted. "That's a polite way of saying 'nothing'"

"It is not!" Lancelot shouted. "I just already proved I got Merlin the better birthday present by pointing out your selfishness. Why should I tell you what I got him?"

Arthur grinned. "It's something embarrassing, isn't it? Did you write him a poem or something equally sweet and romantic?"

"No Percival had written me the birthday poem," Merlin corrected Arthur unaware that the missing quiet knight will receive such a teasing the next day during training.

"Or brought him those lovely flowers over there?" Gwaine teased.

"NO!" Lancelot exploded. "I brought him some clothe so he could make himself some new clothes!"

"But Merlin can't sew!"

"Therefore that is a totally crap present, it'll sit there on Merlin's floor doing absolutely nothing while Merlin cleans my floors with the new scrubbing brush that I brought him!"

"And then drinking all the ale that I brought him!"

"Oh for Christ sake Gwaine, we all know that you did not buy Merlin a single drop of that ale!"

"And we all know you probably just took that scrubbing brush out of the maid's cupboard because you couldn't be bothered to buy him something!"

"It's plainly obvious that since I actually used what little money I had to buy something meaningful for Merlin that I brought him the best present and therefore I am the better friend."

"OH HELL NO!"

"Merlin," Gwen said loudly and clearly catching the three knight's attentions, "What do you think was the best present you got today?"

Merlin cursed Gwen silently in his head as the three idiots turned to face him. "Well Merlin?" Arthur said impatiently.

"The one from my mother," Merlin blurted out.

Earlier in the day a merchant had appeared who had travelled from Elador and presented a large herb package from his mother with a coin hidden within it.

"Such a Mummy's boy," Arthur teased.

"I would love to meet your mother, Merlin," Gwaine said, "I bet she's just as good looking as you."

Merlin really did not need the extra birthday present from Gwaine. Especially since it came in the form of mental images of his mother making out with Gwaine. Urgh!

"She must have very good judgement and would agree that my gift was a lot nicer than yours or Arthurs," Lancelot said thinking that if he got Hunith's approval and better judgement then it would be prove to the whole world he's Merlin's best friend.

Arthur and Gwaine suddenly had the same thought.

They ran for the door and pushed against one another trying to get out first. Arthur kicked Lancelot hard in the backside and elbowed Gwaine in the stomach allowing him to get a three second lead.

"We're going to visit your mother, Merlin!" Gwaine shouted over his shoulder. "If she's as a cool as you say she is I might even marry her!"

"Oh God!" Merlin cried out. "This has got to be the worst birthday so far!"

"What about the one when someone tried to kill you?" Gwen asked rather concerned.

"Gwen, would you prefer to die or have your mother marry Gwaine?"

"Oh God, you're right this must be your worst birthday ever!"


End file.
